MSG (monosodium glutamate) combines sodium with glutamate, an amino acid, a building block of protein found in many foods such as mushrooms, tomatoes and parmesan cheese. Glutamate and MSG add umami to the diet. Umami is known as the fifth taste and is a complex, deeply spicy taste that is given by glutamate; it improves salt perception. MSG contains two-thirds less sodium than salt, so adding something can improve the taste in low-sodium foods, says Taylor Wallace, PhD, associate professor of food and nutrition studies at George Mason University.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, the glutamate in MSG is chemically indistinguishable from the naturally occurring glutamate in food. The average person ingests around 13 grams of glutamate per day from the food they eat. There have been reports that MSG can cause headaches, nausea, and other problems, but “Studies haven’t shown consistent effects in people who say they’re sensitive even after consuming foods high in MSG,” Wallace says.
A review of research done in 1995 by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (on behalf of the FDA) found that symptoms occurred in some susceptible individuals who ingested 3,000 mg or more of MSG in one session without food but the FDA says it is unlikely to consume that much since MSG is used for food and a typical MSG flavored dish contains 500 mg or less. In 2017, a report from the European Food Safety Authority found that symptoms were rare with an intake below 3,000 mg, and concluded that an acceptable daily intake would be 14.5 mg per pound of body weight (2,175 mg for a 150-pound Person).
We tried it: Accent (480 mg sodium per teaspoon). One ⅛ teaspoon serving contains 500 mg MSG and 60 mg sodium. Testers thought it added a hearty, broth-like taste instead of a salty one. They liked it on popcorn and said it gave the snack a “pleasantly hearty taste”. The only downside was that when sprinkled on rice and eggs it added a slightly metallic touch. Be careful to shake it out of the container. “The holes were bigger than on a salt shaker, so the product drained pretty quickly,” says Keating. “Put something in your hand and then sprinkle it over the food.”
